Mesaba

[Jamis81]

Any Mesaba Guys out there that can give me the scoop on training and life with the company? I just got a job offer there yesterday, and I'm going to take the job. I'm just hoping to get the insiders perspective...

Thanks in advance!

 

[PreContact]

Some generic info...looks like they're getting a bunch of CRJ-900s. http://airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/regional/mesaba.html

 

[insomniac99]

Any Mesaba Guys out there that can give me the scoop on training and life with the company? I just got a job offer there yesterday, and I'm going to take the job. I'm just hoping to get the insiders perspective...

Thanks in advance!

when did you interview?

 

[AvroGuy]

Any Mesaba Guys out there that can give me the scoop on training and life with the company? I just got a job offer there yesterday, and I'm going to take the job. I'm just hoping to get the insiders perspective...

Thanks in advance!

You might want to do a search on mesaba and also nwa in general. Great group of pilots, very shady managers. For example, most if not all of the furlough returnees were previously qualified in company aircraft past IOE and all of that jazz but management was not going to pay them perdium while in training. That in my book equals shady. There are a host of other things from management also. On the other hand you will have a union that will listen and fight for the majority of the pilot group. Like the perdium thing. Union fought and won that.

There are better places to go, but there are also much worse places to go.

This is what I saw in my 8 months there before my furlough. I chose not to return because of some uncertanties in my view of the company.

Good luck to ya..

 

[flyinghunter]

Any Mesaba Guys out there that can give me the scoop on training and life with the company? I just got a job offer there yesterday, and I'm going to take the job. I'm just hoping to get the insiders perspective...

Thanks in advance!

Are your initials JS teaching in WI?

 

[Jamis81]

I heard they're getting the CRJ's, they mentioned that in the interview. 36 right away, and if the rumor mill is saying they may get quite a bit more..

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Well just have a back up... When I was hired we had 62 Saabs, 35 Avros, and while in training announced we were getting 20 CRJ-200 with options commited to us first for the next 15 (of which we got 2 and subsequently lost one to Compass)... we are currently a 49 Saab, 1 CRJ-200 company... Yes we are supposed to get 36 CRJ-900's and loose the one CRJ-200. But by my math that still leaves us short 13 airframes and short another promised 35.... And the 13 certain lost planes wouldn't get us to our previous peak....
But also we've lost 300+ pilots tired of this company's lousy executive leadership playing puppet to NWA.
Good luck, there are better places, but also worse.

 

[IHateMgmt]

Welcome aboard. For the moment, people are generally optimistic about the future here at XJ. A little heads up though... if you get "stuck" on the SF3, do NOT complain about it to your CA. Seriously, your life is at stake here.

 

[saabservant]

So true....do you really want to be a saab fo, then saab captain, for YEARS (5-10) making less money than your pinnacle 18 month captain, based where you want to be? See the saab capt. vs. crj capt rates.
This is a very senior group, you will not see capt. in the crj UNLESS nwa relaxes scope further (fat chance) and we get another bunch.

Also, remember that in about 4-6 years we will be up for contract negotiation, and they will at that time plan on eliminating the saabs, so we shrink again....
If you think you can upgrade and get 1000 pic within 4-5 years, go for it, otherwise, go elsewhere. Unless you WANT to be stuck here for life....

Good Luck!

 

[norskman2]

So true....do you really want to be a saab fo, then saab captain, for YEARS (5-10) making less money than your pinnacle 18 month captain, based where you want to be? See the saab capt. vs. crj capt rates.
This is a very senior group, you will not see capt. in the crj UNLESS nwa relaxes scope further (fat chance) and we get another bunch.

Also, remember that in about 4-6 years we will be up for contract negotiation, and they will at that time plan on eliminating the saabs, so we shrink again....
If you think you can upgrade and get 1000 pic within 4-5 years, go for it, otherwise, go elsewhere. Unless you WANT to be stuck here for life....

Good Luck!

What about this talk about NW having options on Q400s? Could those eventually be the Saab replacements?

I know the history of the notorious whipsawing, but it seems NWA would be dumb to shrink a wholly-owned.

 

[saabservant]

Someone else may know if nwa has options on q400's. I have not heard that...

 

[XJ-spartacus]

Probably going to Colgan......

-Spartacus

 

[Jamis81]

Well, I wouldn't consider the Saab as an airplane I'm "stuck" in. Its still an upgrade from what I'm flying now.. From what they said at the interview, the RJ's are only going to be based in MSP, so I'd rather be on the SF340 anyway to get a DTW base if possible..
Any word on how hard it would be to get a DTW base? is that place pretty senior and hard to get into? or would it be pretty easy?

 

[gnx99]

Well, I wouldn't consider the Saab as an airplane I'm "stuck" in. Its still an upgrade from what I'm flying now.. From what they said at the interview, the RJ's are only going to be based in MSP, so I'd rather be on the SF340 anyway to get a DTW base if possible..
Any word on how hard it would be to get a DTW base? is that place pretty senior and hard to get into? or would it be pretty easy?

The first few 900's will be in MSP, but once they're all here, MEM will have more than the other bases.

 

[XJohXJ]

Jamis81:

That's a good attitude to have. DTW will be no problem at all to get. Depending on staffing, you might need to go to MEM for a month or two first, or you might get DTW right away. You might even get CR9 DTW right away. If you'd prefer the SAAB (more efficient schedules=better pay and time off), be sure to let them know, and I'm sure you will get it.

 

[norskman2]

If you'd prefer the SAAB (more efficient schedules=better pay and time off), be sure to let them know, and I'm sure you will get it.

XJ,

Can you clarify? How are the Saab schedules more efficient? Thanks!

 

[saabservant]

"it's still an upgrade over what I'm flying now".

OK, hope you feel that way 8-10 years from now....while your peers are getting 121 jet PIC time, and leaving you behind. Getting stuck on the saab for years, when you could go to a carrier and get 121 jet pic in less than four years is a bad career move, IMO. I should know....

 

[Jamis81]

How Senior are the pilots at Mesaba? Aren't quite a few moving onto the Majors and other carriers? In the interview we were told that Southwest was hiring a large amount of Mesaba Captains.. is that not happening? Also, with the new airplanes coming online won't that just create more openings for upgrades?

Also, can you really compare the upgrade times of the past to the current? now that there are 36 more airplanes coming, and the chance for quite a few more aircraft, it doesn't make sense to keep talking about the past.

If I am looking at this the complete wrong way someone tell me, but thats how it looks from my perspective...

 

[CFIfornow]

XJ,

Can you clarify? How are the Saab schedules more efficient? Thanks!

Because the 900 is a new aircraft for us, and there will only be a few in each base to start with the schedules will have less days off for them. On the days that you are working the flying will be spread out, or you may just have a bunch of long overnights. Since there will be more flying in a day of work on the saab and the FO rates are the same for both airplanes you will get paid more.

 

[CFIfornow]

Also, can you really compare the upgrade times of the past to the current? now that there are 36 more airplanes coming, and the chance for quite a few more aircraft, it doesn't make sense to keep talking about the past.

With 36 CRJs coming to Mesaba that will come close to making everyone who's working here now a captain in two years when the last plane comes.) We are not scheduled to recieve more then this so the very bottom guys and anyone who is being hired now may not upgrade for a very long time. Some people may move on to something bigger and better and help movement a little bit, but most of those with the pic time who wanted to have left. Those with out it will take a year to 18 months to get it. Upgrade will come down from 8 years, but unless we get more then the 36 CRJ's I don't think that it will fall to 2 years.